Abused Innocence
by fairywings81
Summary: Magnus Bane, the High Warlock of Brooklyn rescued Marlie, a child warlock who was being hurt by people who claimed to be her brothers. He learns quickly there is more to the girl's story than he thought. With Alec's help, he works to unravel her mystery.
1. Chapter 1

**(A/N: My first ever Mortal Instruments Fanfic. It took me a LONG time to decide on POVs for this one, which is why it took a long time to get it up. Enjoy it!)**

**Chapter One: Abused Innocence**

It was cold out that night. Magnus Bane, the high warlock of Brooklyn stood bundled up in a rainbow colored coat made of plastic material. He was rather proud of his coat, as he had managed to get it for half the price it was normally sold for. But right now, he was busy watching the flashing and flickering going on in the apartment. He had been by this apartment building three times this week. He had actually been called there by some other concerned individuals. Now, he went on curiosity.

The apartment belonged to two brothers and their little sister. The little girl was about ten, and the two brothers just didn't love her much. They were mean, and sometimes downright cruel. Tonight was proving not to be any exception. Magnus curled his upper lip in a snarl. He had all the proof he needed to take the brothers to task. Yet, he worried that if he just went in there and dealt with it, it would badly. Ezra and Arthur wouldn't be above killing the child. Magnus shook his head as another window shattered. The pieces fell at the warlock's feet. _I need _to _get her out of there... somehow. _He was just about to go up to the building when he heard his phone ringing. He answered. "Talk fast."

"Magnus? What's going on?" His boyfriend Alec Lightwood was on the other end. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything is just peachy. I'm about to rescue that Marlie girl from her brothers. Just trying to figure out how to do it without getting her killed. These are some of the most cruel of my kind I have met in decades."

"Need a hand?" Alec's tone was full of concern then. "I mean, I know you're the High Warlock, but that doesn't mean you're invincible. How old is this child again?"

"Ten. I think she might be more than just a warlock." Magnus flinched as he heard the girl scream again. "If you're coming, you had better come quick. I'm going in." He hung up without waiting for Alec to say reply. He began to ascend the staircase. Halfway up to the third floor, he fell back against the wall. There was an invisible barrier. On the other side of it, Marlie's screaming became deafening. _Hang in there, Marlena. I'm trying..._The High Warlock snapped his fingers vigorously, producing a large spark. He aimed it at the barrier. IT shattered into thin air, and he smirked, thinking of the shoddy job the two brothers had done. Magnus turned towards the door then, his smirk turning into a scowl.

"Hey, glad you didn't go in without me." Alec's hand rested on his shoulder as he spoke. "That was some barrier." Magnus gave him a dirty look before barging into the apartment.

***

Marlie blinked hearing the front door open. She looked up and saw Ezra and Arthur exchange glances. Then Ezra snapped his fingers, causing her to fly into a closet. "Ezra, please! I don't like it in here!" Marlie began to feel panicked. Closets were her worst enemy.

"Shut it." Ezra glared, closing the door. Marlie felt the familiar chair slam against the door effectively locking her in. Then she heard Arthur swear, followed by the voice of someone she didn't know.

"That girl. I want to see her. Now." The voice sounded firm, and authoritative. Marlie was terrified, because she knew that if they got away with keeping her, her brothers going to blame her for everything. "Chop chop. I'm not getting any younger."

Ezra's voice came out like a squeak as he spoke to Arthur. "Who got the High Warlock involved?! I bet it was Marlena. She's been sneaking out again!"

"Never mind who told me. I'm the High Warlock. I know plenty of goings on around here. This child is considered endangered by my standards. Either you bring her to me, or my friend here is going to get her himself." Marlie wondered who the friend was. There wasn't any talking for a while, and she wondered if something else had happened. Then, she heard Arthur scoff. The hair on the back of her neck stood up. Arthur was worse than Ezra when it came to hurting her.

"You think you're just going to waltz in here and take our sister? I've got news for you, High Warlock. That child is under our guardianship."

"Was." There were suddenly footsteps in the hallway, and the voice was suddenly in the bedroom. "You two have no idea how to take care of anything. There is not going to be any chances for you again." Marlie backed up against the closet wall as she heard the chair get moved. The door opened, flooding the small space with light. "It's all right, buttercup. I'm on your side." Marlie dared to look up at the High Warlock then. His hair was arranged, or rather, disorganized on the top of his head, and he was covered in glitter. He knelt to her level, and held out a hand to her. "Let's get you out of here, Sweetie."

"Is she okay, Magnus?" A boy spoke up from behind them before moving to stand beside the High Warlock.

"Of course she isn't okay. What kind of question is that?" Magnus returned his attention to Marlie then. "The Clave will be dealing with your brothers, Marlena. You need to come with me now."

Marlie didn't reply at first. She was too frightened. The aspect of leaving one home full of warlocks, and another, frightened her. She watched them. The boy that was with Magnus looked like he was probably about eighteen or nineteen. "Where are we going?"

"To the Institute first and foremost," Magnus said, before he turned to Alec. "We need to report this to your mother as well. She can stay with me if she needs to." Marlie let him pull her to her feet gently. "Alec, grab her coat, please. It's cold outside."

Marlie watched all of this silently, afraid to say anything. She blinked when Magnus suddenly picked her up. "Mm...." She didn't like to be picked up much.

"It's all right now, Buttercup. We're going to take care of you." He helped Alec get her into her coat. Marlie just went through the motions, letting them do what they wanted. Magnus wrapped his arms around her very gently. "Let's get out of here, Alec. This place is irritating me." He carried Marlie silently to the door.

"Stop right there, Bane! You have a warrant to take the brat?" Ezra demanded now. He was glaring dangerously. Magnus gently handed her to the boy named Alec, his eyes flashing angrily.

"You dare to try and stop me? I'm sorry, but who do you think you're dealing with?" Magnus turned towards Alec. "Darling, can you please take her to the Institute? I will be along shortly." He smiled kindly at Marlie then. "Trust him, Marlie. Alexander is a good guy." Before Marlie could reply, the High Warlock was already heading into the living room to deal with her brothers.

Alec smiled down at her. "Ready?" He didn't' wait for a reply before he carried her right past her brothers and out of the apartment.

***

The Institute, as it turned out, was mostly empty when Alec brought Marlena in. His parents weren't there. There was a note from his sister, Jace and Clary. They had gone out for a while. He sighed. "Looks like it's just me and you for now, Marlena. Say, can I call you Marlie?"

"I guess...." Marlie looked up at him as Alec began to get her out of her coat. "What's this place for?" Alec smiled as he hung up her coat on one of the vacant hooks.

"It's for a lot of things." He took the child by the hand, leading her towards the residential area. "We're going to get you cleaned up, and the maybe we can make a snack."

"My brothers... they won't want me to stay here long..." Marlie started to pull away, but Alec held her hand firmer. "You don't know them. They'll think I said something to that other warlock. I didn't say anything. Not one thing!"

"Whoa whoa... it's okay." Alec led her over to a sofa. He picked her up, and sat down with her in his lap. "No one is going to harm you here. Magnus is taking care of them as we speak." Alec brushed some damp hair out of the girl's face. He could see the fear in her eyes. It broke his heart to see a child so young and innocent be that terrified and untrusting. Alec rubbed her back gently, attempting to ease her fear.

"Who is this?" Alec glanced up seeing his sister Isabelle standing the doorway. Alec sighed. Isabelle didn't look to happy to see a child among them. He guessed the memory of Max's death was probably still fresh in her mind. It was in his as well, but this was why he hadn't hesitated to help Magnus. Isabelle wandered over, and sat down across from them in another arm chair. Alec felt Marlie move closer to him, and he sighed again.

"This is Marlena. Her situation is under investigation by Magnus. He asked me to keep her here for now." Alec spoke slowly to Isabelle, because if he didn't, he wouldn't be precise, and she would argue. "We have to talk to Mom and Dad when they get home." He looked down at Marlie. "Let's take that bath now, okay?" Marlie had quite a few scrapes and bruises that needed attending. Had she been a Shadowhunter, Alec would have easily drawn the healing rune. Since her true gifts were still a mystery, he didn't want to take the chance of hurting her more.

"Who hurt her so badly?" Isabelle's surprisingly gentle voice surprised Alec. He watched his sister wander over to them slowly. She stopped as Marlie backed up a little more. "What...?"

Alec merely shook his head, mouthing, "later" to his sister, before taking Marlie back towards the residential halls. He smiled down at her as the girl began to relax a little bit. He felt her grip on his hand loosen a little, and he ventured to let her go. "Feel free to look around, Marlie, but don't go too far. I'm going to see if I can get a room set up for you." The child didn't answer, but Alec figured she understood well enough. He walked into his room, and shrugged out of his coat. He was just re-adjusting his sweater when Isabelle walked in. "She's exploring a little. Church is probably watching over her."

"Good. God, what happened to her? She looks like she's been in a war." Isabelle sat down in his desk chair without being asked. "I don't think I've seen a child that beat up since...." His younger sister let her words trail off.

"She was living with some very nasty warlocks," Alec said. "They have been tormenting her and abusing her for a long...." He stopped talking, sensing company in the doorway. Alec turned seeing Marlie in the doorway. "Hey there. You okay?"

"I... I think so...." She stood there, as if she was deciding if she wanted to come in or not. Marlie glanced backwards, and then entered the room. "Someone's here."

"It's probably just Jace or Clary." Alec smiled gently, taking her by the hand. He led her over to a chair. "I promise you, nothing can harm you within these walls." He picked her up in his arms, surprised when she didn't wince at his touch. "See? You're safe." He glanced up as Magnus' outline appeared in the doorway. "We just got her cleaned up and stuff."

"That's good." Magnus was studying the girl. "Alec, I need to have a word with you alone, if you don't mind."

"Sure." Alec could tell by Magnus' tone that it was serious. There were very few things that the High Warlock took seriously, so Alec was on his guard now. He set Marlie down on her feet again. "Izzy?"

"Yeah, I'll keep an eye on her." His sister smiled brightly at Alec. She walked over, and took Marlie by the hand. "Let's go check out the room you get to have here!" Alec appreciated the effort Isabelle put into making it exciting. He watched them disappear around a corner before inviting his beau inside his room. He closed the door. "Well?"

"You're going to love what I have to say, doll face. You might want to sit down." The High warlock sat down himself, stretching himself out on Alec's bed.

Alec decided to scoot his desk chair closer. He sat. "Well?" Magnus' expression became very serious then, and Alec knew what he was about to tell him was going to be cause a lot more questions than answers.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"She's half-warlock, and half shadowhunter?!" Alec's eyes widened. "Is that even possible?" He knew that it was. It just seemed strange. "What was she doing here? Shouldn't she have been in Idris?"

Magnus shrugged. "It happens all the time, you know." Alec watched his boyfriend sit down haphazardly. "She was abducted after a break in. Her mother was killed," He paused briefly, sipping at some water. "Her father was dead before she was born." His voice turned quiet then. "Her father was Ragnor Fell."

"Holy...that means she's walking around with power that she has no idea how to control!" Alec exploded. "The Clave, as new as it is, would have a field day with her." Alec was thankful Isabelle And Marlie had left. "So what do we do with this information? It won't belong until the Clave gets word of her."

"She'll be fine, as long as she is in my care." Magnus paused again. "As Ragnor's daughter, she has the potential to take over as High Warlock when she's older...."

Alec raised an eyebrow. "You're going to train her? Magnus, what do you possibly know about children?" Alec found it hard to believe that Magnuswould be able to take care of her.

"Honey cakes, I've been around for eight hundred years. In that time frame, I think I have learned a thing or two about child care. I used to babysit." Magnus glanced over at him, and smirking. "I think I even watched over you or Izzy a time or two."

Alec refrained from blanching at that idea. The idea that his boyfriend had once been his babysitter made him feel a little sick. "Okay, okay, you made your point, " he replied. "So what? Do we just have you take her home with you?"

"Well, yes, of course." Magnus gave him a look that clearly said that he should have known what was coming, before he stood up. Before he could speak again, Marlie entered with Izzy in tow. "Well, just the princess I wanted to see." Alec watched the High Warlock as he knelt to Marlie's level. She backed up just a bit. Magnus didn't move forward again. "Marlie, I want to take you to come live with me, okay?"

"My brothers...." Her tone made the words come out more like a whine. Alec felt so bad for her. He knew that she was thinking they would be able to get her away from Magnus again. He watched as Magnus gently picked her up. Alec raised an eyebrow at this. Frankly, Magnus was surprising him. He had never seen him gentle with anyone other than himself.

"Do you know what it means when I say that I am a High Warlock?" Magnus brushed her hair out of her face gently. "That means that I am ten times stronger than those two. They won't be able to get within an inch of you." He turned to Alec then. "I know you have to report this to your mother, but give me a day or two to work with her first. I don't need the Clave sniffing around her right now." Magnus left Alec to stand there.

***

Marlie found Magnus to be strangely comforting. The High Warlock was gentle enough with her, but he seemed constantly preoccupied. He left her to settle into a room that he made appear in his two bedroom loft. His cat, which he called Chairman Meow, watched her from the doorway. His eyes slitted as if he was expecting her to do something wrong. Marlie eventually left the room to seek out the warlock.

She found him in the kitchen rubbing his forehead. "What is it, cupcake? You okay?" His voice was gentle, though Marlie could tell he was exhausted. He looked over at her. Marlie stayed back a bit, studying him. "Cat got your tongue, hm?" Marlie shook her head, leaning against the wall. Magnus frowned, and came closer. Being that she was already backed into a wall, the young child felt cornered. Magnus stopped an inch from her. "Listen, buttercup. We're going to have to get past this. I want to help you, but you're going to have to learn to trust me."

"Mmm...." Marlie looked away from him. The warlock picked her up again, and she found herself sitting in a feathery bed. She looked up at him.

"Marlie, I am not going to hurt you. You have my word." Magnus sat down next to her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Do you want to see something cool?" Magnus opened his hand, revealing two pots of glitter. "These are from my special stash."

Cautiously, Marlie took one of the small containers in her hand. "They're pretty." She looked up at Magnus. "Glitter is fun..."

"Would you like to try some?" The warlock gently took the glitter from her hand, and opened it. He gingerly sprinkled a little over her head. Marlie giggled, as the dusty substance began to spread over her. The High Warlock smiled. "There now. We're equally sparkly." He stood up then, putting his glitter away. "It's late. You should be sleeping, little one." He picked her up carefully, and took her back to her bedroom. "I'm not far away if you get too nervous, okay?"

"Are you sure they can't come in here?" Marlie had decided in that instant that she would trust Magnus' word. He hadn't given her any real reason not to.

"They would be foolish to show their faces to me." Magnus smiled. "Get some sleep, Buttercup. I'll be down the hall if you need me." He closed her door. Marlie rested her head on the feather soft pillows. Marlie really did enjoy Magnus' company. She hoped it was going to last a lot longer.

***

Magnus watched as the young girl played outside of his apartment. He had called Alec to the unit to talk to him more about this. "I think I can take her in on a permanent basis." He turned to face Alec. The Shadowhunter was wearing a stunned expression. "Now come, Alec. Do you really believe that I wouldn't take pity on that poor girl? I woke up to puppies in my room this morning."

"Puppies?" Alec raised an eyebrow. "Casting spells in her sleep? Or sheer will power?"

"Neither. her dreams become reality." Magnus rubbed his face. "I will put a bind on that tonight. But she really must be trained properly." The High Warlock glanced outside, watching Marlie. She seemed so carefree right there, playing on the sidewalk. She was skipping with a rope he had given her. "I don't want to see her suffer anymore, Alec."

"What about her Shadowhunter side, Magnus? Is it strong?"

"Both sides are very strong, Alec. The problem is she is rejecting them. Too much trauma has been caused via magic. I will have to clear her mind of those memories before I can do anything else. It won't be easy." He glanced to the door as Marlie walked in. "Did you have fun, Marlie?"

"I made it all the way to one hundred six." She smiled. The skipping rope hung loosely over her shoulder. "It was fun."

"Good. Why don't you try and break your record?" Magnus needed just a little bit more time with Alec. He smiled in satisfaction as the little girl went back outside. "We are already building a bond of trust."

"I can tell." Alec was quiet for a long time. Magnus watched him The boy was playing with his dark sweater. "My mother heard about her. Isabelle opened her mouth. She wants to see her."

"That sister of yours can't keep anything closed, can she?" Magnus grumbled. "I will bring Marlena to the Institute when I am good and ready. I told you, I need a day or two with her. The progress I make with her now will help all of us in the long run." The High Warlock frowned. "She has very vivid nightmares of her brothers. I would like to know what else they did to her."

"Hm..." Alec stood up. "Mom and I are leaving for Idris tomorrow. When she called them about Marlie they insisted on speaking with me. I told Mom that I didn't know what your plans were. She knows she can't take Marlie into custody unless she truly is homeless. Right now, I'd say she has a home."

"And so that is what we'll tell the Clave. They can't deny the High Warlock anything. I do a lot for them." Magnus jumped up then, hearing the sound of Marlie crying. "Excuse me." He went outside, not waiting for Alec to follow him.

When he got outside, Magnus found Marlie sprawled on the ground. One of her brothers stood over her, smirking rather vilely. "Hey! Get away from her." Magnus glared at the boy angrily as he scooped Marlie into his arms. "I do believe that I told you before that this girl is now in my custody."

"Your words mean nothing to me, High Warlock." The boy replied. He glared at the sniffling girl. "Oh grow up, Marlena. You didn't even fall that hard."

"She fell hard enough." Magnus' eyes blazed. "I warned the two of you what would happen if you hurt this child again." Magnus heard his door close, and smiled confidently at Alec. "Here, Alec. Hold her for me." He held Marlie out to Alec. He frowned when Marlie refused to go to him. "Marlie, honey, it's okay...." Alec ignored Marlie's protest, and took her anyway. He paced gently with her. Magnus returned his attention to the boy before him.

***`

Alec sighed, watching as Magnus led the evil brother away. Marlie was sitting on one of Magnus' favorite sofas, petting Chairman Meow. She was smiling at the cat as his tail moved back and forth. Alec sighed again, turning away from the window. Things were getting interesting, but not in the good way. _Mom's not really happy with Magnus not handing her over. I suppose I could use my Shadowhunter authority over him, but what would that do to our relationship? It's bad enough he wants to put a child in the middle of it. _He glanced up as Magnus entered the apartment. "Well?"

"He's taken care of for now." Magnus gestured towards the kitchen. Alec got up and followed him. "Alec, enlighten me. What exactly does the Clave think is the deal with the child?"

"She's not in their records." Alec sighed. "They think this is all a ploy on the part of Downworlders. Or that she's the product of sexual assault. Either way, they're claiming she's bad news."

Magnus clenched a fist at his side. "She's a little girl!" He lowered his voice, remembering that they were not that far away from Marlie. "She doesn't deserve this!"

Alec sighed. "I know, Magnus. I don't agree with it either, but...." Alec left his sentence unfinished as a knock came on the door.

"It's Jace." Magnus grunted, going to answer the door.

Alec followed him into the living room. He watched Marlie hide behind the couch, and shook his head. He smiled slightly at Jace. "Hey."

"Hey." Jace looked around. "So, I thought Magnus was harboring the uknown child here?"

"She's hiding." The tone of voice started even Alec as he spoke. "She doesn't like strangers."

"Then I'm surprised she likes Magnus." Jace ducked a playful swat from him. Alec gestured quietly to the couch. Marlie was peering out at them from behind it. "Well, there she is. Wow. She's tiny for her age."

"Have some class, would you, Shadowhunter?" Magnus plucked Marlie from behind the sofa. "Marlena, this is Jace Lightwood. He's Alec's brother. He's not going to hurt you."

"That's right." Jace crouched to her level. "So, what do you think of Magnus, huh? Intense?"

"He's wonderful. " Marlie curled her fingers around Magnus' tightly. "He said I can live with him."

"He decided that all on his own, huh?" Jace stood back up, giving Magnus a questioning look. "Without even consulting the Clave?"

"This is a matter for the High Warlock and no one else. The Clave has no say in how I run my own investigations." Alec was surprised at the ferocity in Magnus' voice. Though he thought he understood it a little. He watched Magnus take Marlie back to his bedroom. When they came out, they were both dressed to go out. "I'm taking Marlie out for awhile. Alexander, you may tell your mother I will bring her when I am good and ready." He left with the girl then.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

The next few days went by without anything major happening. Mangus spent a lot of time trying to gain Marlie's trust further, but he was not having a lot of luck. She barely spoke, and when she did, it was in whimpering mumbles. The High Warlock knew that something had to be done to break the ice further, before he could even think about beginning to teach her anything. He watched her play in the living room, as he stirred his tea. Alec and Jace sat by him at the dining room table.

"Hey, Magnus... do you think it's okay if we hang out?" Alec spoke up from his cup of coffee. "I want to see what she knows about the Nephilim."

"She probably doesn't know anything, Lover. The only thing I have noticed is that she doesn't know how to read the mundane English language. She claims she reads pictures." Magnus had his suspicions about what that meant, though he was not certain. "But do as you wish. I'm holding a party in her honor, and I will need time to set up properly. Can you and Jace manage to take care of her for a short time?"

"Yeah." Alec said. He turned to Jace then. The blonde was watching Marlie with an intent expression on his face. "Jace?"

"What would two warlocks want with such a young girl exactly? It does not feel right at all." His frown deepened. "Did you two notice anything out of the ordinary when you were at the apartment?"

Magnus stirred his tea thoughtfully for a long moment before answering. "There was a black hole effect. It was like they were draining any energy they could. They wanted to make sure she wouldn't run. I cleared it up. Once we got back to my house, she was pretty sick. Probably it took a lot of weight off of her."

"Oh these guys are dirty." Alec made a digusted face, standing up. "So we'll bring her back here around eight?"

Magnus nodded. "That sounds about right. Let me go and explain things to her first." The High Warlock stood up, and wandered into the livng room.

***

Marlie looked up as her new caregiver came in. She had been having a conversation with Chairman Meow about her brother Ezra. Despite everything, she admitted that she missed him a little. He had never been quite as bad as Arthur. "Chairman Meow likes me."

"I see that, buttercup." Magnus sat down on the floor next to her, crossing his legs. "Listen, Marlie. Alec and Jace want to take you out for a while. I have a few things I need to do."

Marlie glanced towards the kitchen. Jace, whom she had only met that morning, waved slightly, smiling easily. "I... I guess. But can they protect me if Arthur comes...?"

"Oh yeah. They're well equipped to handle unruly elder brothers." Magnus assured her. Marlie studied him. She still didn't trust him fully. He was already trying to push her off on someone else. "Don't worry, buttercup. It's not going to be for long. I just have some errands that need to be run."

"We'll have a lot of fun." Alec spoke up as he entered. He squatted to her level. "You haven't met Clary yet. Or Simon. They're pretty nice."

"Yeah, I could take her over to Luke's." Jace put in. He was leaning against the arch that led into the kitchen area. "What do you say, Marlie? Do you want to meet some new friends?"

Marlie didn't know how to respond to that. The idea that they wanted to actually take her out, and do things with her that didn't involve hurting her was too surreal. She looked at Magnus, then back at Alec and Jace. "I...I guess we can try...."

"That's my girl." Magnus stood up, gently taking her hand. Marlie let him pull her to her feet. "Let's go get you ready to go out." He turned to Alec and Jace. "We'll be out momentarily." Her guardian led her to her bedroom. "Everything will get easier for you with time, honey. I promise."

"Why can't you come too?" Marlie looked up at Magnus, hoping her eyes reflected how much she didn't really want to leave his side.

"If I did that, some people would be let down." He sat on the edge of her bed, and patted his lap. "C'mere." When she wandered over, he pulled her into his arms, and hugged her from behind. "Listen, Marlie. I understand how you're nervous. That's okay. I'd be nervous too. Do you know what a Shadowhunter is?"

"No...." She twirled a strand of her long hair, waiting for the warlock to continue.

"Shadowhunters... they're kind of like guardians. They make sure that Downworlders don't hurt the mundanes of the world."

"Mundanes?" Marlie blinked.

"Human beings." Magnus set her on her feet. "The point I was making is that Jace and Alec are also trained to make sure that Downworlders react civilly to each other." He ran a brush gently through her hair. "You're going to be just fine, Marlie." When he was finished, Marlie felt him pull it into a gentle ponytail. "There. You look perfect." Magnus took her over to a mirror, and showed her what he'd done. "What do you tihnk?"

"It looks nice." Marlie turned, and hugged Magnus gently. "Thank you."

"No problem." Magnus was still getting used to the affection. It was a different kind from what he and Alec exchanged. He led Marlie out to Alec and Jace. Alec had her coat for her already. "You two be good to her."

"Of course." The Shadowhunter chorused. Alec gently got Marlie into her coat. He smiled confidently at Magnus.

"We'll be fine." He took Marlie's hand. "We'll see you around eight." Magnus watched Alec and Jace gently lead Marlie out, talking to her quietly.

***

Alec watched Marlie subtly as she flipped through one book after another. She didn't seem to be finding anything of use. "What was wrong with that book?" He asked as she set aside a third book.

"I can't read it. The words look weird." She looked up at him. "Are you going to hurt me?"

"No, of course not...." Alec came and sat down next to her. He took the book, and opened it. Alec looked down at the page, and smiled softly. "Oh, Marlie. You found one of the hardest books in the library. Let's see if we can find you something easier." He got up, and put her books away. He came back with something he thought she could handle. He turned to the first page of _The Cat In the Hat. _"Let's try this."

Marlie took one at the book, and scrunched up her nose. Alec thought she looked really cute like that, but he wasn't sure what the facial expression meant. "I don't like those letters. They're wrong."

"Wrong?" Alec blinked. He was about to ask what she meant by that when Jace entered carrying a tray full of cookies. "Hey, thanks."

"No problem." Jace sat down on Alec's other side. "How are things going in here?"

"Okay, I think...." Alec watched as Marlie tried to discretely get a cookie. "Marlie's having a big problem with reading."

"Those aren't words. They're weird." Marlie interrupted.

"They are words." Jace raised an eyebrow slightly at her. "They're in English." He looked at Alec. "What do your letters look like, Princess?"

"I can't tell you. It's a secret."

"Oh?" Alec handed her some paper. "Try drwawing them. We don't have to tell anyone, okay? Jace, go close thd door." _Something is very off about the way she's acting. She should know mundane English. Every one of us does. Why is she so different? _Alec watched Marlie carefully. She hesitated, before bending over hte paper, and she began to make careful strokes. When she was done, Marlie handed the paper to him. Alec studied the paper, and frowned.

"Alec... are those... runes?" Jace blinked.

Alec nodded, but he didn't say anything at first. He didn't recognize any of them as being current runes that the Shadowhunters used. They were in the history books though. He turned to Marlie. The girl was under the table, and playing with Church. "Marlie, where did you learn these "letters"?" He didn't feel like it ws a good time to explain that they were actually called runes.

"I always knew them." Marlie peered up at Alec, as she stroked Church's tail. It swished under her hand. Alec heard the cat purring loudly in pleasure.

"You couldn't have always known them." Jace pointed out. "You weren't born reading."

"I was too."

Alec didn't let Jace argue with her. Instead, he crawled under the table with the child. He pulled her into his lap. "How come you're hiding?" He spoke softly. He had a feeling it had a lot to do with the fact that she was not used to being allowed around other people.

"Mmm." She pointed to Jace.

"Jace? He's not going to hurt you, Marlie. No one here is ever going to hurt you." He stroked her hair gently. "I won't allow it. Now. Tell me about these letters. Where did you first see them?"

"In my baby books. Ezra brought them for me." She leaned her head on Alec's chest, and the shadowhunter smiled.

"You love Ezra, don't you?"

"He didn't mean to hurt me... I know it. Arthur made him." She looked up at Alec. "Do you think Magnus will let me see him again?"

"Probably not. Magnus is very angry with your brother and Arthur, for not treating you right." Alec smiled softly. "You're going to have new life now. Magnus wants to take care of you." Alec could see her wheels turning. The idea that she would not be around someone familiar to her, and one that she expected to take care of her was scary for her. Alec felt bad for her.

"Even if he apologized?" Marlie tilted her head at Alec. "If Ezzie said he was sorry, would he let him?"

"I don't know, Marlie. That's a big question. You'll have to talk to Magnus." Alec crawled out from under the table, and held out his hand. "Let's go get you settled for a nap, okay? You're going to have a big night tonight. Magnus is making a surprise for you."

"Okay..." Alec could tell she was still a little wary. "Do you want me to stay in the room while you sleep?" He realized his mother would not be happy about that, but Marlie needed familiarity right now.

"Yes...." Marlie crawled into the bed as soon as they were in the room. "Alec? Does Magnus have a girlfriend?"

Alec blinked. "Well... not quite. He has a boyfriend, though. And I love him very much." He watched as Marlie processed his revelation.

"You're his boyfriend?" She grinned. "That's so cool." She yawned then, and Alec tucked her in.

"Get some sleep, Marlie. I'll be sitting over here." He gestures to a rocking chair in the corner. "Just try and get some rest." Alec sat down, and began to hum an old Shadowhunter lullaby to her.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

When Alec brought her back to the High Warlock's apartment, she was caught off guard by the amount of cars and bikes parked outside it. Alec led her into the apartment, and she gasped. There were tons of people milling around the place. Thankfully, Magnus appeared at their side almost instantaneously.

"Oh you're just in time." Magnus smiled kindly, scooping her up into his arms. He had changed into some rather outrageously flashy garments. He had more sparkles than she remembered him having before. "Did you have a good time?"

"Yeah." Marlie managed a small smile. She looked around, taking in everything. "What's going on?"

"Well, Buttercup, this is your party." Magnus set her down, taking her hand. "These are some of my friends. And some of them just came because they wanted to. Hey, vampire, watch where you're going." He barely managed to pull Marlie out of the way of a quickly moving figure.

"Oh..." Marlie watched everything around her, amazed. Magnus carried her to an empty chair near the kitchen. "I got you a few things."

"You did?" Marlie blinked. "But why? It's not my birthday or anything."

Magnus chuckled lightly. "Because you were probably overdue for your birthday, as it is." He handed her a small box. "You will like this, Princess."

Marlie wordlessly opened the box, and blinked. It was a necklace with a glitter filled vial hanging on it. She smiled brightly. "It's beautiful..."

"Want me to put it on?" He didn't wait for her to answer. He put the chain around her neck, and smiled. It fits perfectly, Marlie. It looks great on you." Magnus handed her another present.

Marlie opened the bag carefully. Inside sat a brand new dress, with stockings and new dress shoes to match. She sat speechless for a long moment, fighting back tears. It was the first time she'd ever had anything brand new. "They're so...wonderful..." She looked up at Magnus. "But... I don't understand... why?"

Magnus crouched to her level, and he wiped her eyes gently. "Because, you deserve the best. Marlena, come with me to my room a minute. I need to talk to you." He picked her up, and hugged her close. He turned to the party guests then. "The guest of honor and I shall be back soon. Please, enjoy yourselves!" He carried her to his bedroom then. Alec and Jace followed, and when they were in the room, he closed the door. Magnus sat Marlie on the bed, and sat next to her, an arm wrapped around her.

* * *

"Magnus?" Alec looked at his boyfriend, and Marlie could tell that he was just as confused as she was about Magnus' actions. "What's going on?"

"Well, I put in for guardianship of our princess. That's what." Magnus smiled at Marlie. "It's about time she had a proper home with someone who will really care for her."

"Really." Alec folded his arms. "Where did you file the claim, Magnus? Not with the Clave, I'd bet."

"Now, Alec. Don't ruin this for me. Of course this means you get partial guardianship, if things ever get more involved."

"You didn't even discuss it with me." Alec pointed out. He forced a smile in Marlie's direction though. "I'm glad you want to take care of her. Most wouldn't have even given second thought to send her to the orphanage in Idris."

"Knowing what you know about my past, you should know better." Magnus replied. He sounded exhausted. "I have other things that I need to discuss with her right now, Alec. If you and Jace wouldn't mind. Go and enjoy the party."

"Yeah, okay." Alec sounded more like he wanted to hear what he was going to say to Marlie. "I have to talk to you, too. But afterwards." He and Jace left, leaving Marlie alone with Magnus.

* * *

"Is he mad at you, Magnus?" Marlie didn't want to cause anyone to fight. "I don't want him to be..."

"Oh, he'll get over it, Princess. I have a surprise for him too." Magnus smirked wickedly for a moment, and then his face got really serious. "Marlena. I'm about to tell you something that will either make you ecstatic, or very angry."

"It's about Ezra and Arthur, isn't it?" She looked up at the High Warlock, knowing that it had to be true. "What did you do to them?"

"I didn't do anything to them, Marlie. They did it to themselves. They... The Clave took them into custody this morning. They'll be going away for a very long time. They wanted to send you to an orphanage, but I stepped in, and told them no." Magnus laid a hand on her shoulder, and despite her mixed feelings of fear, and anger, Marlie found herself comforted by his touch. "I think you have the potential to take my place as High Warlock when you're older. I want to train you."

Marlie's mouth dropped open. That was the last thing she'd expected to hear. She didn't even like magic. It had done her far too many wrongs. "Do I have to?"

"Of course, it is entirely up to you, buttercup. I would never make you do something you don't want to do. However, I do think training your magic wouldn't hurt in any case. So that, I will insist on, now that you are living with me."

"Okay." She leaned against Magnus, who hugged her close to him. "Is Ezra ever going to be allowed to come back?"

"I don't know. They comitted more than one crime, Marlena. Did you know that you had a Mommy and a Daddy?"

"No... Ezra said they didn't want us."

"More like, his buddy Arthur murdered your mother. Your father was dead before you were born." Magnus hugged her tightly to him. "You won't have to worry anymore though, Princess. I will be here for you, no matter what."

"Thank you, Magnus... for everything." Marlie fingered the little vial of glitter around her neck. "I never had anything so nice... ever."

"I know." Magnus smiled then. "Well, let's go out and enjoy that party. It sounds like the Daylighter just arrived. I hear some odd music." He took her by the hand then, and led her back out to the party.

* * *

"He did it behind the Clave's back? How could Magnus do that?" Alec looked at his mother. It was the next day, and he had been heading over to the warlock's house to talk to him about the reading that Marlie didn't know how to do.

"We're not sure. But we definitely want to have this whole thng investigated further. The Clave is requesting Marlena's presence in Idris as soon as possible. If Magnus wants his unauthorized application approved, he had better comply."

"Mom, Marlie knows nothing about Idris. Sending her there is just going to confuse her." Alec placed both hands on the edge of the desk. "She barely trusts us. I don't think making her appear in front of a large group of people is going to help the situation. Get us an extension, or find a way around it. Please. Not for me, or Magnus. Do it for Marlie."

"I'll see what I can do. In the meantime, you had better prepare him in case he gets a visit. You know that's likely."

"Right. Okay, Mom. I'm going over there now anyway." Alec left the library office, and sighed, sticking his hands in the pockets of his dark jacket. _Magnus, you may have just made things more complicated for her. You shouldn't do things without talking to me first. Especially if the Clave might get involved. She is half-shadowhunter, after all. _With another deep sigh, he left the Institute, and headed down the block towards Magnus's house.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five **

"I'm not taking her to Idris." Magnus glared at Alec. "She's not ready to get so involved in our world, Alec."

"But you want to train her to be your replacement. She's going to have to learn about Idris eventually." Alec crossed his arms. "Magnus, she's from Idris. The language she reads is the old Shadowhunter lanaguage."

"What?" Magnus turned towards him now. "What do you mean?" He walked over, and closed the door to his bedroom. Marlie was out in the living room contentedly playing with his cat.

"She can't read Mundane English because those brothers of hers taught her to read the old scripts." Alec looked at his boyfriend. "She doesn't know mundane reading."

"Well, then maybe sending her to Idris might be useful..." Magnus paced. "But I'm not leaving her side. Do you understand? She's just barely starting to trust me. I can't risk losing what I've gained."

"Fine. I think that can be made possible. Oh, and there might be a visit before hand. I told them to go easy on both of you."

"What's going on, Magnus?" Marlie came into the room then. She had chocolate all over her face and hands. "My choclate is gone."

"How much of it got into your mouth?" Magnus chuckled. "Alec, hand me that towel over there."

"Here." Alec crouched to Marlie's level, and wiped her face and hands carefully. There was something about the action that reminded him only a little bit of his late youngest brother, Max. "I think you're right, Magnus. The Clave would eat her alive." He spoke in a low voice so that only the High Warlock heard him. "I can only imagine what the reaction would be if they found out she was a cross-breed."

"Please, darling. Don't talk of her like that." Magnus picked Marlie up into his arms. "So, when should we expect the visit from our friends?" The High Warlock made sure to keep his voice casual so that he didn't alarm the little girl in his arms.

"Anytime now." Alec stood up. "So, how long will it be before you get a babysitter so we can go out?" He smiled slightly.

"Well, if Simon is available, perhaps tonight." Magnus replied. "Let's just see how the visitors go first, shall we?" He carried Marlie into her bedroom. "What would you like to change into, buttercup? We should loook presentable for our company."

"Can I wear this?" Marlie pointed to a party frock. "Chairman Meow said he'd like that on me."

Magnus threw his head back and laughed heartily. "Really now? Well, that sly little devil is probably right! Let's get it on you then!" He turned to Alec. "If you don't mind..."

"Of course not." Alec moved to stand outside the bedroom door. Magnus shut it. "Hey, Magnus. Maybe Jace and Clary are a better babysitting option..."

"Maybe." Magnus hadn't decided how he wanted to deal with the girl's Shadowhunter side just yet. He thought having his boyfriend Alec around was more than sufficient. The warlock turned his attention to Marlie. "Do you need any help?"

"I think I can do it." Marlie pulled the dress over her head. "Can you button me up?"

"Sure, princess." He was very careful to be gentle. "You look beautiful in this. I did a good job."

"I like it." Marlie turned when he was finished, and wrapped her arms around Magnus' waist. "You didn't have to give me anything."

"I know." Magnus smiled softly. He patted her on the head a bit. "You're just too cute, you know that?" He grinned at her. "Let's go show Alec how pretty you look." He opened the door to her bedroom.

"Magnus Bane?" A cloaked figure stood at the entrance of the hallway.

Magnus knew without a doubt this was the visitor that Alec had warned him about. He scooped Marlie into his arms. The little girl wrapped her arms around his neck firmly, burying her face in his shoulder. "It's okay, Marlie. He's not here to hurt you." He nodded to their guest. "I am. And you are?"

"The Clave has sent me, to see what the situation with Marlena was." The figure lowered their hood, revealing a young woman. "And I see that the situation is far graver than we realized."

"What do you mean by that?" Magnus demanded. He rubbed Marlie's back soothingly. He could hear her whimpering softly. "I'd ask you not to startle, or frighten this girl. She has been through quite enough."

"Of course, of course. We're aware of the maltreatment she has undergone." The woman sat down uninvited in Magnus' living room. This left him no choice but to join her.

He settled himself in a chair, with Marlie in his lap. "Now. Please tell me what you meant by your first assessment. I haven't done anything but take care of this child on my own free will."

"So it would seem." She was studying Marlie intently. "Is it true, High Warlock? She has no memories of Idris, or our world whatsoever?" Her tone changed then. It was kind, and worried.

"It's true." Magnus nodded. "Buttercup, why don't you go along with Alec for a bit? If our visitor doesn't mind, that is."

"I think that is a good idea, actually." She smiled kindly at the child now. "Do you like living with the High Warlock?"

"I do. He's a good cook!" Marlie replied. Her voice was just barely audible. She glanced over at Alec. The shadowhunter had just come back from the direction of the bathroom. "Can we go see Jace?"

"Yeah, I think he'd like that, actually." Alec took her by the hand. "Come and get her when you're done here, okay, honey?" He smiled at Magnus. It seemed that they were going to have sort of understood joint guardianship over Marlie.

"I'll do that. Thank you, Alec." Magnus watched as the Shadowhunter led his charge out of his apartment, before his eyes turned back to the woman. "Tell me what this is really about, and be quick about it."

"Intense." Jace watched Marlie as she colored in the coloring book that he had bought for her. "How is she adjusting?"

"Pretty well, from what I can tell. She's very attached to Magnus." Alec smiled at that. "It's kind of hard not to get attached to him. He's got that kind of personality."

"Yeah, you could say that." Jace moved to sit next to Marlie at the table. She didn't appear to notice. "Say, Marlie... do you want to learn some stuff about the Shadowhunters?"

"Maybe. I'm going to be Magnus' replacement. Maybe it won't matter." Marlie chose a blue crayon, looking up at him.

"It does matter. It's a part of who you are, Marlie." Jace said softly. "I hated that part of my training when I was your age, but it's important."

"Don't push her, Jace." Alec walked over. "Marlie, if Magnus manages to have you adopted, do you want me to help him?"

"Yeah." Marlie smiled at Alec. "He probably wants a lot of your help."

"I'll just bet he does." Jace replied, smiling softly. He stood up then. "Well, I'm going to go sharpen some of my sereph blades, and get ready for our nightly patrol. Too bad Marlie wouldn't be interested."

"Jace, what are you...?" Alec started to ask. Then he got it. "Yeah. Too bad." He picked Marlie up. "Come on, Marlie. I'll take you to the greenhouse for a little bit. We can't stay long though."

"Alec, she can't avoid her fate forever!" Jace exclaimed.

"She's a seven-year-old, Jace. And Magnus is her guardian. We're not doing anything without talking to him first."

"What's a Shadowhunter?"

Alec sighed, and gave Jace his best "now you've done it" look. He set Marlie down on her feet, and crouched so that he was at eye level with her. "Shadowhunters protect the every day world from bad things. Normal humans, mundanes we call them, can't see us. We're usually glamoured. You are both a Shadowhunter, and what we call a Downworlder. That is to say, you have magic, and probably a good ability to fight, when you're older."

Marlie let this new information process. Alec watched her expression from doubt to amazement. "How can I be both?"

"Well, when a shadowhunter and a downworlder meet, and fall in love..." Jace began.

"Jace!" Alec reprimanded. "You'll understand it better when you're older, Marlie." He took the girl's hand. "We'll talk later, Jace." He led the way out of the library.

"Hey she'd only hear about it in school anyway! What's the difference?" Jace called after him. Alec heard Jace laughing as they turned the corner.

"Ignore him, and you'll be just fine." Alec smiled brightly. Marlie was giggling over it. That made him feel good. After everything she had been through, it was good to see the child happy, at least. "Jace means well..."

"I like Jace." Marlie nodded. "He can be my brother too."

Alec helped her up the steps to the greenhouse. "Good. Jace loves you too, I'm sure." He settled her on a bench in front of some flowers. "Isn't it pretty?" He watched her explore. His wheels were turning. _Magnus can't take care of her by himself. Especially since she is part Shadowhunter. The Clave will probably insist on her staying at the Institute. If we have joint custody, that won't be a problem. But we're not even..._

"I want to go watch Jace..." Marlie's soft voice, accompanied with her very careful tug on Alec's sleeve brought him out of his daze.

"Sure, Marlie. I'm sure Jace would like that." _ Just what Jace needs. Another little fan girl. _He smiled at her. "Let's go. I need to leave you with Jace anyway. I need to speak to Magnus."

Marlie nodded slowly. "Can I go home to him soon?"

"Yeah." Alec stopped outside the weapons' room. He poked his head in. "Hey, Jace. Can you watch Marlie for a bit? I need to go and talk to Magnus alone."

"Alone, huh? You two behave yourselves." Jace smiled at Marlie. "C'mere, Marlie. I want to show you something."

Alec watched Jace come over, and take Marlie's hand. "I won't be gone long."

Jace waved him away as he began to explain what he was doing to the girl. "Now, what we're doing here is getting these special knives ready to take care of demons..."

Alec didn't hear Marlie's response. He headed up to his room to get ready for his visit with Magnus. He was on his way out the door when his phone rang. Alec checked the caller ID. _Magnus. The visitor must be gone now. _He picked up the phone. "Hey, Magnus."

"Turns out they want to see you and I in Idris."

"Together? Why? What did you do?" Alec wasn't going to argue. If they had somehow decided that Magnus and Alec would be taking Marlie in together, he would be okay with that. Besides, hadn't he just decided that's what he was going to tell Magnus anyway?

"It's not what I did. Because of her unique situation, she has to be raised by a warlock, and a Shadowhunter. I suggested you, because I knew you'd be good with her." Magnus sounded like he was really impressed with his own idea.

"Well, that's a coincidence. I was just coming to talk to you about that. Jace is watching Marlie, and I thought we could have dinner, and talk this over." Alec smiled as he closed the door to his bedroom. He headed to the elevator.

"You're letting Jace babysit? Well, I guess that can't hurt too much. Sure, I'll meet you at Taki's." Magnus hung up before Alec could reply.


End file.
